The present disclosure relates generally to the field of heavy equipment, such as construction and excavation equipment. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to an energy management system for use with hydraulic systems, such as those hydraulic systems generally used with pieces of heavy equipment.
Backhoes, power shovels, and other heavy equipment are used for construction, excavation, and mining. The pieces of heavy equipment operate work implements, such as shovels, buckets, or augers, to perform various tasks. Such equipment may utilize hydraulic systems for maneuvering the work implements in repetitious patterns of working movements. For example, a mining shovel may operate 24 hours per day, raising and lowering a bucket in a repeating cyclic pattern, once approximately every 30 to 60 seconds. Other pieces of heavy equipment, such as drilling rigs, also operate with repeating cycles of raising and lowering a drill or boom but at a slower rate. Energy is required to controllably raise and lower the work implements (e.g., lifting work, braking friction, etc.).